Suction cleaner



April 28, 1942. s. L. POOL 1 2,281,048

SUCTION CLEANER Filed Jan; 2, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheetl UHIHIIIII Hum! ' ,4S'. Z.P00Z s :4 INVENTOR.

i w ATTORNEYS.

April 28, 1942. POOL I 2,281,048

SUCTION CLEANER led Jan. 2, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR.

& ATTORNEYS.

S. L. POOL SUCTION CLEANER April 28, 1942.

Filed Jan. 2, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 I N V EN TOR.

A TTORNEYS.

Filed Jan. 2, 1941 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 /4 INVENTOR.

-ATTORNEYS.

Patented Apr. 28, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE SUCTION CLEANER Simeon LeePool, Ocheyedan, Iowa Application January 2, 1941, Serial No. 372,908

2 Claims.

In the process of shelling corn, dust and chaff are produced, which result in a dirty shelled-corn product, a dirty machine, and an objectionable region, local to the machine, in which an operator must work. Broadly considered, and having a knowledge of the prior art, providing a corn sheller with a suction-operated dust extractor is not an inventive act, as is made manifest, for example, in the Halls Patent No. 878,725, granted February 11, 1908.

The market supplies a well known corn sheller for which there is no satisfactory dustremover, and that sheller (the Minneapolis-Moline machine) may be mentioned by its trade name, since it is in that way that the sheller can be identified by those who use it. As a plain statement of fact, and not as a laudatory remark, the machine mentioned, and hereinafter referred to as the known machine, is a satisfactory sheller,

aside from the circumstance that it produces" much dust.

To suggest that the known machine be re-designed, re-invented and rebuilt, in order to get rid of dust, would accomplish no practical advance in the art, for several reasons.

sheller, and the manufacturer would not reconstruct his entire machine for the purpose of having a good dust remover. Nor would the revamping of a tested and approved corn sheller, for the purpose of removing dust, do more than arouse the suspicions of a prospective purchaser.

In view of all of the foregoing, the problem presented is to supply a dust removing instru- .mentality, which will work no substantial changes in the known machine, result in small additional cost, and present an improved dust remover, especially when considered relatively to the parent structure. The description refers to so much of the known machine as is germane to the present invention, or necessary to an understanding of it.

It is within the province of the disclosure to improve generally and to enhance the utility of devices of that type to which the present invention appertains.

With the above and other objects in View, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment oi the invention herein disclosed, may be within the scope of what is claimed,

Although:- disposing of dust is an end to be desired, it is not the primary and essential function of a com without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 shows, in side elevation, a dust remover constructed in accordance with the present invention, and assembled with parts of the known machine;

Fig. 2 is a top plan;

Fig. 3 is a cross section on the line 3-3 Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 1-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a section on the line B-B of Fig. 1.;

Referring to the known machine, and its operation, grossly considered, there is shown a casing l, including side walls 2 and a top 3, the top sometimes being carried on angle brackets .4 extending along the upper edges of the side walls.

The corn in the ear is carried upwardly by a conveyor 5, and passes into an upright trunk 6. The corn is delivered into a concave 1, located in the casing I and composed of transversely spaced rods. The concave 'l is covered by an inverted trough-shaped cap 8, mounted on the side rails 9 of the concave structure, and held thereon by securing elements it). i

,A power driven cylinder i I (so called) is mounted to rotate between the concave I and the cap 8. The cylinder i i rolls the corn on the rods of the concave I, the shelled corn passing through a screen i2, as usual, The husks and trash move through a suction and blower casing id, at the forward end of the machine, and find an exit through a stack iii, with a corresponding dissipation of dust, and with a correspondingly soiled productof shelled corn, no eilort being made to remove the dust at the time the shelling takes place.

Such, generally considered, is the construction of the machine wherewith the present invention is used, and such, broadly considered and so far as the present invention is concerned, is the operation of the known machine.

A portion or the top 3 of the casing l is removed, and its place is taken by a box H, which, if desired, may be made of wood. The box I! is open-bottomed, and is disposed above the cylinder and concave structure 1--l I8 of Fig. 3. Any suitable means may be provided for fastening the box ii in place. As shown, but not of necessity, the side walls of the box [1 may carry angle members IS, connected to the angle brackets 4 of the main machine by securing elements l9. The forward end wall of the box I"! is marked by the numeral 2B, and has a downward slant,

chaff, and enter the conduit 2d.

the trunk t communicating with the box by way of the end wal1 2i! and through a fixed portion 2! of the top of the box, the top of the box including a lid 22, hinged at 23 to the fixed part 2| of the box top, to facilitate inspection.

A laterally offset conduit 24 extends lengthwise of the casing l. One end of the conduit :24 is connected to one side of the box IT, at one side of the concave l and its cap 8, the said end of the conduit being disposed closely adjacent to the upright trunk 6, as Figs. 1 and 4 will show.

A depending bafiie plate 25 is located (Fig. 3)

between the concave I and the adjacent end of p the conduit 2 the bafile plate being held on one of the side rails 9 by certain of the securing elements Hi. There is suction in the conduit 24, and i the baflle plate 25. The depending flange of the bafile plate 26 is secured to the corresponding side rail 9, by certain of the securing elements it]. Thehorizontal flange of the bafile plate 26 rests V on top of the cap 8 and is disposed in approxi mately horizontal alinement with the corresponding outlet part of the conduit 28. The depending flange of the baffle plate 25 forms, in the box ll and in the adjoining portion of the casing I, a

reduced throat 27, through which some of the shelled corn passes. In the absence of the baiiie plate 26, a little of the shelled corn, under suction, may tend to follow across the upwardly convexed cap 8, transversely, along with the dust and Alluding to a structural feature, supporting brackets 28 hold the conduit member 24 in place on the casing l.

A supplemental casing 29 is secured to the inner side of the fan casing l4, one end of the conduit '24 opening through the outer, lateral wall of the supplemental casing 29.

a The supplemental casing 29 has a depending neck 30, extended downwardly into the casing 2, through the top 3 thereof. In the adjacent wall .of the casing 14, and in the corresponding wall ofthe supplemental casing 29 there is an opening A horizontal partition 3| is disposed in the neck 30, and there is an opening 32 in the walls of the casings 29 and I4, below the partition 3|. The husks come off at the opening 32, under conditions with which the invention is not immediately concerned. Let it sufiice to say that the sizes of the opening 30' and 32, considered relatively to each other, are such that there will be a proper suction from the forward part of the ma chine, to care for the husks, through the opening 32, and, also sufiicient suction to carry the dust and chaff through the opening 30.

A power driven fan 33 is mounted to rotate in the casing Hi.

to certain parts 35 of the framework of the ma- The opening 30 (Fig. is disposed opposite to the hub 34 of the fan, and

chine, but there is a space for the dust and chafl' to pass from the casing 29 into the casing l4 below the frame parts 35, as indicated at 36, and above the frame parts, as indicated at 31 and at 38.

Since an additional burden is thrown on the fan mechanism, because of the sucking out of the dust and chafi, the number of blades in the fan 33 may be increased over the ordinary construction, the area of the blades being increased somewhat, if desired.

The operation of the structure is simple. The fan 33 creates suction, handling the husks in the I usual way. The conduit member 24 creates suction inthe box Ill, and the dust and chaff are carried off from the immediate place of shelling. The functions of the bafile plates and 26 have been explained hereinbefore.

The net result of the operation of the structure described is shelled corn which is clean and free from dust and chafi, the region immediately about the casing I, externally and internally,

being rid of dust to such an extent that the com- -fort of the operator will be promoted, a clean machine resulting also.

What is claimed is:

1. In a dust-removing mechanism for corn shellers, a casing, a concave in the casing, an upwardly convexed cap supported above the concave, delivery means discharging on the concave,

' a dust box on the casing, above the cap and provided at one side with a suction conduit, 2. depending first bafile fixed closely adjacent to the concave and the cap and located on the same side thereof as the suction conduit, and an angular second baffle disposed on the opposite side of the concave and the cap, the second baffle comprising a substantially vertical depending flange extending upwardly from the concave and the cap, and

a substantially horizontal flange extended toward the suction conduit and overhanging the cap.

2. A corn sheller and dust remover comprising a. main casing having a top, a shelling means in the casing, an upright trunk on the casing and discharging toward the shelling means, an upright suction casing on the main casing and defining an angle with the top, a box-like supplemental casing disposed transversely of the main -casing, and fitting in the aforesaid angle, the

-munication therewith, a movable top lid for the 'box, affording inspection of the shelling means, through the open bottom of the box, means for securing the box in place, and an elongated conduit which opens at one end through one end of the .box, and at its opposite end through the corresponding end of the supplemental casing.

' SIMEON LEE POOL. 

